The Internet is undergoing explosive growth. Each day, millions of new web pages are created and many millions of people interact online. To link to an Internet website, a computer user typically enters a domain name that represents an IP (Internet protocol) address. Each domain name is unique and is assigned to a holder by one of a plurality of domain name registrars. It is the prevailing trend for businesses to establish and maintain presence in the marketplace via their websites and/or email addresses. Thus an Internet domain name may be highly valuable as an advertising and selling tool. Businesses generally try to acquire domain names which reflect their trademarks and brand names, also regarded as valuable intellectual property.
As Internet use has expanded, cybersquatters have tried to acquire domain names solely for the purpose of selling them to businesses whose brand names correspond to the domain names. Although legislation has been passed in an attempt to curb this practice, domain name squatting still continues. Additionally, it is increasingly common for web site operators to unknowingly acquire, in good faith, domain names that infringe upon other parties' trademark rights. Quite often, registration of an Internet domain name requires no trademark search or query before the registration process is initiated and completed.
Companies and individuals striving to preserve their rights in trademarks are finding it necessary to engage in Internet domain enforcement. Such enforcement may include, for example, opposing another's use of a domain name reflective of a trademark or brand name. Domain enforcement may involve hunting on the Internet for registered domain names that, for example, infringe, dilute or disparage a trademark or brand name. Enforcement also may entail demanding that a holder of such a domain relinquish the domain name and/or initiating a complaint or other enforcement action relating to one or more of such domains. Hunting for such domain names on the Internet tends to be not only time consuming but also hit-or-miss in view of the sheer volume of Internet use. Initiating and maintaining enforcement action against infringers also may be costly and time consuming.